1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to dress forms and mannequins that display clothing.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior to the invention described herein, collectors of doll clothing did not have a product to hold, contain and display an ensemble as it was originally produced, packaged and sold, including accessories such as, shoes, handbags, gloves, jewelry and hats. Dress forms previously available only displayed the articles of clothing and had no portion or part of the form useable or suitable for holding, containing and displaying the accessories to the ensemble. Although the accessories to an ensemble or outfit are coordinated by material, shape, style and color, and are especially designed to go with and accompany the clothing of an ensemble, no means has previously been available to display these accessories along with the items of clothing. Therefore, the accessories have ended-up stored, usually in plastic bags or left sitting loose near the the clothing display and subject to being lost or misplaced. Since many of these ensembles are costly, ranging from $25 to over $2,000 each, this product fills the need both functionally and economically of doll fashion collectors.
No dress form shaped display mannequin has been found that can hold, contain and display the ensemble accessories along with the ensemble clothing.
Most dress forms such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,284 have a purpose of adjusting to duplicate a size of human form and relate to making clothes rather than displaying clothing.
Garment Display Device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,071 comprises a variable configuration clothes hanger with shelf for accessories.
Other clothing mannequins such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,310,099; 5,480,074; 5,022,569; and 5,409,150 do not include a way to hold, contain nor display accessories to an ensemble.
With the advent and growth of doll fashion collecting, especially vintage ensembles, came the need to keep and display them together as they were originally produced, packaged and sold. This is reinforced by the fact that the small accessories are usually the most valuable part of the ensemble and the most rare.